Our Favorite Independent Bookstore Instagram Feeds
From left to right: @powellsbooks, @booksaremagicbk, @literatibookstore, @harvardbookstore
Independent Bookstore Day is April 29th! And while we wish we could suspend time and space just so we could visit all our favorite bookstores in one day, we can’t. Luckily, Instagram is there to transport us wherever we want to go. Here are our absolute favorite independent bookstores on Instagram.
Powell’s Books in Portland, OR
Scrolling through the Powell’s Books Instagram feed feels like walking through this massive bookstore IRL. With a mix of themed endcap displays, snapshots from author events, and recommendations from booksellers, it’s the next best thing to hopping on a plane and sloshing through rainy Portland.
Books are Magic in Brooklyn, NY
Books are Magic hasn’t even opened its doors yet and it’s already one of our favorite Instagram feeds on the entire bookternet. Owned by author Emma Straub and her husband Michael Fusco-Straub, Books are Magic is documenting its origin story in real time. It’s a bit like reading an ARC before the novel is released – you feel like you’re in on a wonderful secret. The store is slated to open in May and we cannot wait.
Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor, MI
If you want to get hit with a huge dose of shelf envy, head over to Literati Bookstore’s Instagram feed. There you’ll find bookshelves that go on for days – or at least it feels that way. In addition to showcasing Literati’s author events and monthly best sellers, this vibrant Instagram feed is interspersed with typewritten messages left behind on the store’s vintage Royal. The typewriter alone has us secretly planning a vacation in Michigan.
Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe in Washington, DC
If there was an award for most delicious Instagram feed, Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café would take the cake. And while the featured menu items drew us in, the quirkily captured staff recommendations, well-attended author events, and feminist book displays keep us liking and commenting all day long. So, go ahead and start checking the weather in Washington, DC. We hear the cherry blossoms are gorgeous this time of year.
Harvard Bookstore in Cambridge, MA
Harvard Bookstore is situated on one of the most picturesque streets in Cambridge, so it’s no surprise that this indie’s storefront features heavily on their Instagram feed. The rest of the feed is filled with tons of recommendations and seasonal fun – brown paper-wrapped tomes for February’s Blind Date with a Book and an Ask a Bookseller series leading up to Hanukkah and Christmas.
Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN
Co-owned by novelist Ann Patchett and publishing veteran Karen Hayes, Parnassus Books is a must-see for dog-loving bookworms. This store has six shop dogs and we imagine visiting Parnassus must feel like a giant hug – all those adorable dogs vying for attention. The store’s Instagram feed is filled with images of booksellers having fun, snapshots from the store’s Bookmobile, and gorgeous stacks of recommended books. While most people move to Nashville for the city’s thriving music scene, we’d move in a heartbeat just to hang out at Parnassus all day.
